Reclosable packaging for individually wrapped articles

ABSTRACT

A personal care product has a plurality of individually wrapped articles and a reclosable package for containing the articles. The package includes a handle portion at an upper end of the package for grasping the package, a back side extending downward toward a lower end, a cover extending downward toward a lower end, and a pocket formed at the lower end of the package and configured to retain the plurality of individually wrapped articles. A lower end of the cover is removably insertable into the pocket to close and reclose the package after an article has been removed from the pocket.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

Priority is claimed under U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/832,081 filed on Jul. 20, 2006, entitled “RECLOSABLE PACKAGING FOR INDIVIDUALLY WRAPPED ARTICLES”, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a personal care product. More particularly, the present invention relates to a product having a reclosable package to be used for containing more than one individually wrapped personal care article.

Many types of personal care products are individually wrapped and then packaged in a box or other similar type of packaging. However, many of these types of packaging are not resealable or reclosable once the package is opened. Most personal care products are intended to be portable; but, it is difficult to transport the items in the package without the items falling out once the package is opened. Because most personal care products are disposable and inexpensive, the package that the products come in must also be inexpensive.

There is a need for a personal care product having an inexpensive, yet attractive, reclosable package for containing individually wrapped articles.

SUMMARY

The present invention is a product comprising a plurality of individually wrapped articles and a package for containing the articles. The package includes a handle portion at an upper end of the package for grasping the package, a back side extending downward from the handle portion to a lower end of the package, a cover extending from the handle portion toward the lower end of the package, and a pocket formed at the lower end of the package and configured to retain the plurality of individually wrapped articles. The end of the cover is removably insertable into the pocket to close and reclose the package after an article is removed from the pocket.

The handle portion is also configured so that the product can easily be displayed for merchandising. The package is small, lightweight, and inexpensive to manufacture, yet still attractive for displaying and carrying when traveling.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective front-view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective back-view of the invention shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the invention shown in FIG. 1 with the cover of the package in the open position, and one of the individually wrapped articles removed from the package.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the blank which forms the package shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the blank shown in FIG. 4 as the blank is being assembled to form the package shown in FIGS. 1-3.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the package (formed from the blank shown in FIG. 4) in the assembled position, with a label configured to wrap around a bottom portion of the package.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a perspective front-view of product 10 including package 12 and individually wrapped articles 14, shown inside package 12. Package 12, having upper end 16 and lower end 18, includes front handle portion 20, cover panel 22, front pocket panel 24, first side panel 26, second side panel 28 (shown in FIG. 2), bottom panel 30 (shown in FIG. 4), back panel 32 (shown in FIG. 2), feet 34 a and 34 b, seal 36, and perforation 37, which separates front handle portion 20 from cover panel 22. Cover panel 22 extends in an arc downward toward lower end 18. Back panel 32 includes back handle portion 38 at upper end 16 and lower portion 40 at lower end 18 (not shown in FIG. 1; see FIG. 2).

Front handle portion 20 and back handle portion 38 are fixed together to form handle 42, which may be used for grasping product 10. In this particular embodiment, front handle portion 20 and back handle portion 38 are fixed together using adhesive. It is recognized that front handle portion 20 and back handle portion 38 could be fixed to one another in an alternative manner. Handle 42 also includes aperture 44 that can be used for hanging product 10 on display for merchandising.

Feet 34 a and 34 b are formed on bottom panel 30 and are configured so that package 12 is able to stand upright, with bottom panel 30 resting on a horizontal surface. It is recognized that alternative features could be formed on bottom panel 30 to make package 12 stand upright.

As shown in FIG. 1, cover panel 22 is in a closed position in which end 46 (shown in FIG. 3) of cover panel 22 is tucked into front pocket panel 24, and seal 36 is placed over a portion of cover panel 22 and a portion of front pocket panel 24. (Seal 36 is optional since cover panel 22 will remain tucked into front pocket panel 24 until cover panel 22 is manually pulled out of front pocket panel 24 into an open position.)

Package 12 also may include label 48, as shown in FIG. 1. Label 48 may be configured in a variety of ways. In one embodiment label 48 has a backing side with adhesive on it, and is wrapped around package 12 near lower end 18. More specifically, in this embodiment first end 50 of label 48 is first placed over first side panel 26 such that label 48 is then wrapped around first side panel 26, front pocket panel 24, second side panel 28 and lower portion 40 of back panel 32.

FIG. 2 is a perspective back-view of product 10 shown in FIG. 1, including second side panel 28, and back panel 32 having back handle portion 38 (which forms handle 42) and lower portion 40. Back panel 32 is substantially flat and extends downward to lower end 18. Label 48 is shown wrapped around second side panel 28 and lower portion 40 of back panel 32 such that second end 52 of label 48 is close to first end 50 of label 48. (Label 48 can be better seen in FIG. 6.)

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of product 10 shown in FIG. 1 with cover panel 22 in an open position and one individually wrapped article 14 a removed from package 12. To move cover panel 22 from a closed position (FIG. 1) to an open position, a user slides cover panel 22 out of front pocket panel 24. (If package 12 includes seal 36, the user first releases seal 36 from engagement with cover panel 22.) In the open position, cover panel 22 extends upward from perforation 37.

To remove one individually wrapped article 14 a, the user holds package 12 in first hand H1 with one or more fingers F1 supporting cover panel 22 in the open position. Using second hand H2 having fingers F2, the user removes one individually wrapped article 14 a from package 12. The user can then return cover panel 22 to the closed position with two individually wrapped articles 14 b and 14 c remaining inside package 12. These steps can be repeated to remove individually wrapped articles 14 b and 14 c at a later time.

FIG. 3 shows first hand H1 holding package 12 with fingers F1 in a particular configuration and second hand H2 holding article 14 a with fingers F2 in a particular configuration. It is recognized that second hand H2 could hold package 12 and first hand H1 could remove article 14 a, and that various configurations of fingers F1 and F2 could be used to support package 12 and article 14 a.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3, product 10 has three individually wrapped articles 14 a-14 c originally contained inside package 12. However, it is recognized that more or less individually wrapped articles are within the scope of this invention. Articles 14 could be a variety of personal care products, which typically are disposable. In one embodiment, articles 14 are disposable wipettes that are individually foil-wrapped.

Because package 12 is small, lightweight and inexpensive to manufacture, yet still attractive, product 10 can be offered for sale, or offered as a complimentary sample or promotional product.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of blank 54 which is configured to form package 12 shown in FIGS. 1-3. Blank 54 is made from a single piece of material. Blank 54 includes cover panel 22 having end 46, perforation 37, front handle portion 20, back panel 32 having back handle portion 38 and lower portion 40, bottom panel 30, feet 34 a and 34 b, front pocket panel 24, first side panel 26 and second side panel 28.

Additional components of blank 54, as shown in FIG. 4, that are not visible when blank 54 is in an assembled form as package 12 (FIGS. 1-3), include: first fold 56 separating front handle portion 20 from back handle portion 38; second fold 58 separating lower portion 40 from bottom panel 30; third fold 60 separating bottom panel 30 from front pocket panel 24; fourth fold 62 separating first side panel 26 from front pocket panel 24; first tab 64 extending from first side panel 26; fifth fold 66 separating second side panel 28 from front pocket panel 24; second tab 68 extending from second side panel 28; first flap 70 extending from first side 72 of lower portion 40 of back handle portion 38; sixth fold 74 having first slit 76 and separating first flap 70 from lower portion 40; second flap 78 extending from second side 80 of lower portion 40; and seventh fold 82 having second slit 84 and separating second flap 78 from lower portion 40.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of blank 54 as it is being assembled to form package 12 shown in FIGS. 1-3. To assemble blank 54 into package 12, the first step is to fold front handle portion 20 and cover panel 22 over back panel 32 along first fold 56. The second step is to fold first flap 70 inward along sixth fold 74 and fold second flap 78 (not shown) inward along seventh fold 82 (not shown). The third step is to fold bottom panel 30 (not shown) upward along second fold 58 (not shown) such that bottom panel 30 is perpendicular to back panel 32. The fourth step is to fold front pocket panel 24 upward along third fold 60 such that front pocket 24 is perpendicular to bottom panel 30 and parallel to back panel 32. The fifth step, which is shown in progress in FIG. 5, is to fold first side panel 26 upward and inward along fourth fold 62 such that first side panel 26 is placed on first flap 70, and fold second side panel 28 upward and inward along fifth fold 66 such that second side panel 28 is placed on second flap 78. The sixth step is to insert first tab 64 into first slit 76 and second tab 68 into second slit 84 (not shown).

It is recognized that the steps outlined above can be performed in a variety of different sequences.

In the assembled position, lower portion 40 of back panel 32, bottom panel 30, front pocket panel 24, first side panel 26 and second side panel 28 form pocket 86 for retaining individually wrapped articles 14.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of package 12 (formed from blank 54 shown in FIG. 4) in the assembled position, with label 48 configured to wrap around pocket 86. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, label 48 is a single piece of material with one side coated with adhesive, and is sized and configured so that first end 50 of label 48 is placed over first side panel 26. Label 48 then wraps around first side panel 26, front pocket panel 24, second side panel 28, and lower portion 40 of back panel 32. Label 48 is configured such that second end 52 is positioned on lower portion 40 at an end near first side panel 26.

A benefit of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 is that different labels can be printed to correspond to different individually wrapped articles. As such, label 48 can be used to differentiate product 10 without requiring changes to package 12.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

1. A product comprising: a plurality of individually wrapped articles; and a package for containing the articles, the package comprising: a handle portion at an upper end of the package for grasping the package; a back side extending downward from the handle portion to a lower end of the package, wherein the back side is substantially flat; a cover extending from the handle portion in an arc downward toward the lower end of the package; and a pocket formed at the lower end of the package and configured to retain the plurality of individually wrapped articles, wherein an end of the cover is removably insertable into the pocket to close and reclose the package after one of the plurality of individually wrapped articles has been removed from the pocket.
 2. The product of claim 1 wherein the handle portion of the package has an aperture for hanging the product on display.
 3. The product of claim 1 wherein the package is configured to stand upright.
 4. The product of claim 3 wherein the pocket includes a pair of feet.
 5. The product of claim 1 wherein a breakable seal is secured over the pocket and the cover when the cover is inserted into the pocket.
 6. The product of claim 1 wherein an adhesive label is placed around the pocket.
 7. The product of claim 1 wherein the plurality of individually wrapped articles are disposable wipettes.
 8. A reclosable package for retaining individually wrapped articles, the package comprising: a flap; a back panel, wherein the flap is folded over the back panel; an upper end of the flap is attached to an upper end of the back panel to form a handle for grasping the package; and a pocket at a lower end of the package and sized for receiving more than one individually wrapped article, the pocket formed from a lower portion of the back panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel, a second side panel and a front panel, wherein the flap is removably tucked into the pocket when in a closed position, and the flap is movable to an open position to remove an article from the pocket and then returnable to the closed position.
 9. The reclosable package of claim 8 wherein adhesive is used to attach the upper end of the flap to the upper end of the back panel.
 10. The reclosable package of claim 8 wherein a breakable seal is removably secured to the pocket and the flap when the flap is tucked into the pocket.
 11. The reclosable package of claim 8 wherein the handle has an aperture for displaying the package on a hook.
 12. The reclosable package of claim 8 wherein the package is configured to stand upright.
 13. The reclosable package of claim 12 wherein the pocket has a pair of feet.
 14. The reclosable package of claim 8 wherein the package is formed from a single piece of material.
 15. The reclosable package of claim 8 wherein the pocket comprises a label wrapped around the lower portion of the back panel, the first side panel, the second side panel and the front panel.
 16. A blank for making a reclosable package for holding individually wrapped articles, the blank comprising: a cover; a back side; a first fold separating the cover and the back side, the cover being foldable over the back side along the first fold; a bottom; a second fold separating the bottom from the back side, the bottom being foldable along the second fold such that the bottom is movable to a position in which the bottom is perpendicular with the back side; a front side having a first end and a second end; a third fold separating the bottom from the front side, the front side being foldable along the third fold such that the front side is movable upwardly to a position in which the front side is perpendicular to the bottom and parallel to the back side; a first side portion extending from the first end of the front side; a second side portion extending from the second end of the front side; a first flap extending from the back side; and a second flap extending from the back side, wherein the first side portion and the second side portion are configured to be releaseably securable to the first flap and the second flap, respectively, such that the back side, the front side, the first side portion, the first flap, the second side portion, and the second flap form a pocket usable for retaining individually wrapped articles.
 17. The blank of claim 16 further comprising: a first tab extending from the first side portion; a second tab extending from the second side portion; a fourth fold separating the first flap from the back side and having a slit for receiving the first tab, the first flap foldable inwardly along the fourth fold such that the first flap is perpendicular to the back side; a fifth fold separating the second flap from the back side and having a slit for receiving the second tab, the second flap foldable inwardly along the fifth fold such that the second flap is perpendicular to the back side, wherein when the front side is folded upwardly and the first flap and the second flap are folded inwardly, the first side portion and the second side portion are foldable upwardly and inwardly, such that the first side portion is placed over the first flap and the first tab is inserted into the slit of the fourth fold, and the second side portion is placed over the second flap and the second tab is inserted into the slit of the fifth fold.
 18. The blank of claim 16 wherein the third fold has two slits, each slit having an arc shape, and configured to be a pair of feet. 